UVA vs UMass

[dynamicoyster]

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Hi! So happy to be deciding between these two schools but I need your help. I am a Massachusetts resident (so Umass is the cheaper option), but my main concern is that i've lived and gone to school in MA my whole life, so it could be fun to try something new. This is also pre-financial aid, but I dont believe I will get much anyway.

UVA (OOS COA 100k)
Pros:
- Technically a better ranked school (T30)
- Great research opportunities & strong hospital network
- New location + new people
- Strong primary care & longtitudinal healthcare training (something I'm interested in)
- Students seem very happy!
Cons:
- $$$, paying for my own school but will likely not receive aid due to parent income
- Unsure if Charlottesville is the most exciting place, but i dont think Worcester is either so
- Would be moving from friends/family in MA

UMass (IS COA 83k)
Pros:
- $$$, definitely cheaper
- Ranked very highly for primary care specifically, though not 100% set on this
- Know people at the school, friends/family in the area
- Likely want to do residency in MA/New England, unsure if UVA would limit that though
- Happy students/good work-life balance
Cons:
- Lived here my whole life, kinda want to try something new
- "lower ranked school" (barely though)
- Internal Rank

At the end of the day these schools seem pretty similar, but would appreciate any thoughts!

 

[riv_jordan]

These are both strong public schools that will provide you with a great medical education. UVA is generally regarded as the stronger/more prestigous school, but you haven't indicated anything about your career goals that would suggest that a marginal leg up in prestige would matter for you. If you want to match in MA/New England, then UMass will not hold you back and may arguably give you a leg up due to its proximity (of course, UVA won't hold you back either, they match well across the country). Especially if you're interested in primary care, prestige is almost a non-factor. It's definitely fair to want to explore a new area, but you also seem unsure about leaving your family/friends and whether you'll even like Charlottesville. There are definitely benefits to sticking with familiarity when possible, especially during the difficult days of medical school.

So with that said, if UMass does end up being significantly cheaper, then it seems like the right choice here.